So today, Internet, we're going to discuss a pet pop-culture theory of the sort that I think about when I'm home alone and the power is out: I think the Flintstones occurred chronologically after the Jetsons. In the storylines, I mean, not the actual historical runs of the two shows.

We already know that the Jetsons and Flintstones do in fact live in the same timeline. The 1987 movie The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones proved that. The common assumption is that the Flintstones are from the distant past of the Jetsons. After all, the Flintstones live in the Stone Age, and the Jetsons in our future, right?

I must admit I labored under that assumption most of my life, too. Then I stopped and I thought about it. What if the Flintstones is from a time not too far after the Jetsons where two very important events have occurred: One, scientists perfects the ability to clone and genetically engineer long-extinct animals and a massive nuclear war (or some future, more destructive technology) has wiped out civilization, leaving only a few survivors to rebuild society.
What would those surviving individuals do, after they secure the basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing? Would they not try to bring back the comforts of their previous society? What sort of make-shift creature comforts would they create?

How about cars? Modern appliances? Entertainment sources? Heavy equipment for building? Look at the technology substitutes in "The Flintstones." Here are a few examples:

Think about it, friends: The Flintstones is packed with makeshift technology! How did they come up with it? Do you think they somehow invented the record player centuries before the real thing came to be? Or is it more likely that a few generations back the people lived in a world with technology and recreated that technology with what they had available? It reminds me of nothing better than the Professor on Gilligan's Island building a radio out of a coconut.

The aforementioned cloning and genetic engineering would also explain the apparent intelligence of the animals that were being used as showers, cranes, bridges and flights of stairs. These at least modestly intelligent creatures are used for menial labor. Now unless you're going to tell me that also in the past that animals had the ability to talk, again, this goes with my theory. These animals are both intelligent enough to talk and to know that their jobs are lousy! The best explanation is some level of genetic engineering. (Whether cloning then engineering their brains or Elroy Jetson built a time machine and brought dinosaurs forward in time and then their genes were restructured to be able to think intelligently/complain.)

Does this explanation make perfect sense? Of course not. Then again neither did the Wacky Races or the fact that Donald Duck being properly covered on his bottom half has something to do with him wearing a shirt...

Anyway, Internet, can't wait to hear your thoughts. Or, tune in tomorrow for a much more serious and newsworthy post!